Russia brushed off a slow start and dominated Tre Kronor to the tune of 4-1 in a tremendous display of creativity and firepower. Up next--quarter-finals action.

Artemi Panarin led the way with a goal and an assist in the first period.

It has now been 12 years and eleven games since the Swedes last beat Russia in World Championship play.

"It's a comfortable win and it gives us a boost," said Alexei Yemelin. "We'll keep trying to play that kind of hockey."

Russia started out slowly, but Sweden, despite territorial advantage, didn’t test Sergei Bobrovski to any great degree. By the midway point of the period, the Russians found their legs and dominated the rest of the period.

They opened the scoring at 14:43 on a nice passing play with a lucky finish. Moving the puck around nicely off the rush, Panarin got the puck to the back side of the play to Yevgeni Dadonov.

He flubbed his shot, but the puck rolled slowly end over end to the net. Goalie Jacob Markstrom had spread wide and flopped to the ice, and the puck fluttered over his outstretched pad for a 1-0 lead.

Three minutes later, Panarin connected with a one-timer of far greater conviction. Vadim Shipachyov set this one up from the right wing, and Panarin drilled a high shot in at 17:52 to make it an impressive 2-0 lead.

"We started the game well," Panarin offered. "We passed the puck nicely and created lots of chances."

The Russians blew the game wide open with another pair of goals in the second. Captain Pavel Datsyuk corralled a loose puck in the slot and wired a shot past Markstrom at 1:34 to make it 3-0.

Then, at 9:40, they pretty much put the game out of reach when Sergei Mozyakin fed a nice pass to Roman Lyubimov. He made no mistake.

Sweden tried to fight back. Tre Kronor got an early power-play goal in the third thanks to a nice blast by Mattias Ekholm from the top of the circle. The goal, though, merely reminded the Russians to take care of business, which they did for the remainder of the game.

"Maybe at the start of the third we thought the game was already won, but then we got it together and started playing our game again," Nikita Zaitsev acknowledged.

The Russians have now allowed just three goals in their last five games and have won five games in a row after a bit of a shaky start to the tournament.

"We're trying to play disciplined hockey, and that's what we talk about before each game," Yemelin added. "Everyone is working hard. Everyone is trying to be better and better on defence."